Cancer survival rates are getting worse in Merseyside for certain forms of the disease.

New official figures show the likelihood of women beating breast and colon cancer has significantly reduced in Wirral.

The one-year survival rate between 2006 and 2008 was 94.5%, one of the lowest rates in England and worsening on average at 0.7% a year.

And 84.2% survived for five years over the same period, a rate worsening at 0.3% a year, the Office for National Statistics said.

Anne Jackson, chief executive of North West Cancer Research (NWCR), which funds research projects at the University of Liverpool, said: “There are many factors which affect cancer survival rates, such as late diagnosis, lack of awareness, poor take up of screening programmes and access to effective treatment.

“The latest figures highlight the importance of raising awareness and increasing our understanding of cancer and show that, in Merseyside and the Wirral, we are further behind the rest of England when it comes to survival rates, which means there is a lot of work to be done to address this gap.

“Above everything else, these statistics show the importance of funding cancer services and cancer research.

“Research is vital in the fight against cancer as it allows for better treatments, earlier diagnosis and greater awareness – all of which can help improve cancer survival rates.”

Survival rates for lung cancer in both Merseyside and Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral are significantly worsening, with the one-year rate for men falling at 2.1% a year and 2.4% a year respectively.

The one year survival rate for men with lung cancer in Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral was just 23.7%, the lowest rate in England.

For women in Merseyside, the one year survival rate is falling by 2.6% a year to 30.7%, while it is down 2.1% a year to 28% in Cheshire, Warrington and Wirral.

Across England, 31.6% of women and 28.8% of men diagnosed with lung cancer survived one year and 8.1% of men and 9.9% of women survived five years.